within the law-第26部分

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nce。　　Somehow；　it　was　borne　in　on　him　that　this　woman　had　a　grievance　beyond　the　usual　run　of　injuries。

〃You　are　that　girl？〃　　he　said。　　It　was　not　a　question；　rather　an　affirmation。

Mary　spoke　with　the　dignity　of　long　sufferingmore　than　that；　with　the　confident　dignity　of　a　vengeance　long　delayed；　now　at　last　achieved。　　Her　words　were　simple　enough；　but　they　touched　to　the　heart　of　the　man　accused　by　them。

〃I　am　that　girl。〃

There　was　a　little　interval　of　silence。　　Then；　Mary　spoke　again；　remorselessly。

〃You　took　away　my　good　name。　　You　smashed　my　life。　　You　put　me　behind　the　bars。　　You　owe　for　all　that。。。。　Well'　I've　begun　to　collect。〃

The　man　opposite　her；　the　man　of　vigorous　form；　of　strong　face　and　keen　eyes；　stood　gazing　intently　for　long　moments。　　In　that　time；　he　was　learning　many　things。　　Finally；　he　spoke。

〃And　that　is　why　you　married　my　boy。〃

〃It　is。〃　　Mary　gave　the　answer　coldly；　convincingly。

Convincingly；　save　to　oneher　husband。　　Dick　suddenly　aroused；　and　spoke　with　the　violence　of　one　sure。

〃It　is　not！〃　

Burke　shouted　a　warning。　　Demarest；　more　diplomatic；　made　a　restraining　gesture　toward　the　police　official；　then　started　to　address　the　young　man　soothingly。

But　Dick　would　have　none　of　their　interference。

〃This　is　my　affair；〃　he　said；　and　the　others　fell　silent。　He　stood　up　and　went　to　Mary；　and　took　her　two　hands　in　his；　very　gently；　yet　very　firmly。

〃Mary；〃　he　said　softly；　yet　with　a　strength　of　conviction；　〃you　married　me　because　you　love　me。〃

The　wife　shuddered；　but　she　strove　to　deny。

〃No；〃　she　said　gravely；　〃no；　I　did　not！〃　

〃And　you　love　me　now！〃　he　went　on　insistingly。

〃No；　no！〃　Mary's　denial　came　like　a　cry　for　escape。

〃You　love　me　now！〃　There　was　a　masterful　quality　in　his　declaration；　which　seemed　to　ignore　her　negation。

〃I　don't；〃　she　repeated　bitterly。

But　he　was　inexorable。

〃Look　me　in　the　face；　and　say　that。〃

He　took　her　face　in　his　hands；　lifted　it；　and　his　eyes　met　hers　searchingly。

〃Look　me　in　the　face；　and　say　that；〃　he　repeated。

There　was　a　silence　that　seemed　long；　though　it　was　measured　in　the　passing　of　seconds。　　The　three　watchers　dared　not　interrupt　this　drama　of　emotions；　but；　at　last；　Mary；　who　had　planned　so　long　for　this　hour；　gathered　her　forces　and　spoke　valiantly。　　Her　voice　was　low；　but　without　any　weakness　of　doubt。

〃I　do　not　love　you。〃

In　the　instant　of　reply；　Dick　Gilder；　by　some　inspiration　of　love；　changed　his　attitude。　〃Just　the　same；〃　he　said　cheerfully；　〃you　are　my　wife；　and　I'm　going　to　keep　you　and　make　you　love　me。〃

Mary　felt　a　thrill　of　fear　through　her　very　soul。

〃You　can't！〃　she　cried　harshly。　　〃You　are　his　son！〃　

〃She's　a　crook！〃　Burke　said。

〃I　don't　care　a　damn　what　you've　been！〃　Dick　exclaimed。　〃From　now　on　you'll　go　straight。　　You'll　walk　the　straightest　line　a　woman　ever　walked。　　You'll　put　all　thoughts　of　vengeance　out　of　your　heart；　because　I'll　fill　it　with　something　biggerI'm　going　to　make　you　love　me。〃

Burke；　with　his　rousing　voice；　spoke　again：

〃I　tell　you；　she's　a　crook！〃　

Mary　moved　a　little；　and　then　turned　her　face　toward　Gilder。

〃And；　if　I　am；　who　made　me　one？　　You　can't　send　a　girl　to　prison；　and　have　her　come　out　anything　else。〃

Burke　swung　himself　around　in　a　movement　of　complete　disgust。

〃She　didn't　get　her　time　for　good　behavior。〃

Mary　raised　her　head；　haughtily；　with　a　gesture　of　high　disdain。

〃And　I'm　proud　of　it！〃　came　her　instant　retort。　　〃Do　you　know　what　goes　on　there　behind　those　stone　walls？　　Do　you；　Mr。　District　Attorney；　whose　business　it　is　to　send　girls　there？　　Do　you　know　what　a　girl　is　expected　to　do；　to　get　time　off　for　good　behavior？　　If　you　don't；　ask　the　keepers。〃

Gilder　moved　fussily。

〃And　you〃

Mary　swayed　a　little；　standing　there　before　her　questioner。

〃I　served　every　minute　of　my　timeevery　minute　of　it；　three　full；　whole　years。　　Do　you　wonder　that　I　want　to　get　even；　that　some　one　has　got　to　pay？　　Four　years　ago；　you　took　away　my　nameand　gave　me　a　number。。。。　Now；　I've　given　up　the　numberand　I've　got　your　name。〃



CHAPTER　XV。　AFTERMATH　OF　TRAGEDY。　

The　Gilders；　both　father　and　son；　endured　much　suffering　throughout　the　night　and　day　that　followed　the　scene　in　Mary　Turner's　apartment；　when　she　had　made　known　the　accomplishment　of　her　revenge　on　the　older　man　by　her　ensnaring　of　the　younger。　　Dick　had　followed　the　others　out　of　her　presence　at　her　command；　emphasized　by　her　leaving　him　alone　when　he　would　have　pleaded　further　with　her。　　Since　then；　he　had　striven　to　obtain　another　interview　with　his　bride；　but　she　had　refused　him。　　He　was　denied　admission　to　the　apartment。　　Only　the　maid　answered　the　ringing　of　the　telephone；　and　his　notes　were　seemingly　unheeded。　　Distraught　by　this　violent　interjection　of　torment　into　a　life　that　hitherto　had　known　no　important　suffering；　Dick　Gilder　showed　what　mettle　of　man　lay　beneath　his　debonair　appearance。　　And　that　mettle　was　of　a　kind　worth　while。　　In　these　hours　of　grief；　the　soul　of　him　put　out　its　strength。　　He　learned　beyond　peradventure　of　doubt　that　the　woman　whom　he　had　married　was　in　truth　an　ex…convict；　even　as　Burke　and　Demarest　had　declared。　　Nevertheless；　he　did　not　for　an　instant　believe　that　she　was　guilty　of　the　crime　with　which　she　had　been　originally　charged　and　for　which　she　had　served　a　sentence　in　prison。　　For　the　rest；　he　could　understand　in　some　degree　how　the　venom　of　the　wrong　inflicted　on　her　had　poisoned　her　nature　through　the　years；　till　she　had　worked　out　its　evil　through　the　scheme　of　which　he　was　the　innocent　victim。　　He　cared　little　for　the　fact　that　recently　she　had　devoted　herself　to　devious　devices　for　making　money；　to　ingenious　schemes　for　legal　plunder。　　In　his　summing　of　her；　he　set　as　more　than　an　offset　to　her　unrighteousness　in　this　regard　the　desperate　struggle　she　had　made　after　leaving　prison　to　keep　straight；　which；　as　he　learned；　had　ended　in　her　attempt　at　suicide。　　He　knew　the　intelligence　of　this　woman　whom　he　loved；　and　in　his　heart　was　no　thought　of　her　faults　as　vital　flaws。　　It　seemed　to　him　rather　that　circumstances　had　compelled　her；　and　that　through　all　the　suffering　of　her　life　she　had　retained　the　more　beautiful　qualities　of　her　womanliness；　for　which　he　reverenced　her。　　In　the　closeness　of　their　association；　short　as　it　had　been；　he　had　learned　to　know　something　of　the　tenderer　depths　within　her；　the　kindliness　of　her；　the　wholesomeness。　　Swayed　as　he　was　by　the　loveliness　of　her；　he　was　yet　more　enthralled　by　those　inner　qualities　of　which　the　outer　beauty　was　only　the　fitting　symbol。

So；　in　the　face　of　this　catastrophe；　where　a　less　love　must　have　been　destroyed　utterly；　Dick　remained　loyal。　His　passionate　regard　did　not　falter　for　a　moment。　　It　never　even　occurred　to　him　that　he　might　cast　her　off；　might　yield　to　his　father's　prayers；　and　abandon　her。　On　the　contrary；　his　only　purpose　was　to　gain　her　for　himself；　to　cherish　and　guard　her　against　every　ill；　to　protect　with　his　love　from　every　attack　of　shame　or　injury。　He　would　not　believe　that　the　girl　did　not　care　for　him。　　Whatever　had　been　her　first　purpose　of　using　him　only　as　an　instrument　through　which　to　strike　against　his　father；　whatever　might　be　her　present　plan　of　eliminating　him　from　her　life　in　the　future；　he　still　was　sure　that　she　had　grown　to　know　a　real　and　lasting　affection　for　himself。　　He　remembered　startled　glances　from　the　violet　eyes；　caught　unawares；　and　the　music　of　her　voice　in　rare　instants；　and　these　told　him　that　love　for　him　stirred；　even　though　it　might　as　yet　be　but　faintly；　in　her　heart。

Out　of　that　fact；　he　drew　an　immediate　comfort　in　this　period　of　his　misery。　　Nevertheless；　his　anguish　was　a　racking　one。　　He　grew　older　visibly　in　the　night　and　the　day。　　There　crept　suddenly　lines　of　new　feeling　into　his　face；　and；　too；　lines　of　new　strength。　　The　boy　died　in　that　time；　the　man　was　born；　came　forth　in　the　full　of　his　steadfastness　and　his　courage；　and　his　love。

The　father　suffered　with　the　son。　　He　was　a　proud　man；　intensely　gratified　over　the　commanding　position　to　which　he　had　achieved　in　the　commercial　world；　proud　of　his　business　integrity；　of　his　standing　in　the　community　as　a　leader；　proud　of　his　social　position；　proud　most　of　all　of　the　son　whom　he　so　loved。　　Now；　this　hideous　disaster　threatened　his　pride　at　every　turnworse；　it　threatened　the　one　person　in　the　world　whom　he　really　loved。　　Most　fathers　would　have　stormed　at　the　boy　when　pleading　failed；　would　have　given　commands　with　harshness；　would　have　menaced　the　recalcitrant　with　disinheritance。　　Edward　Gilder　did　none　of　these　things；　though　his　heart　was　sorely　wounded。　　He　loved　his　son　too　much　to　contemplate　making　more　evil　for　the　lad　by　any　estrangement　between　them。　　Yet　he　felt　that　the　matter　could　not　safely　be　left　in　the　hands　of　Dick　himself。　　He　realized　that　his　son　loved　the　womannor　could　he　wonder　much　at　that。　　His　keen　eyes　had　perceived　Mary　Turner's　graces　of　form；　her　loveliness　of　face。　　He　had　apprehended；　too；　in　some　measure　at　least；　the　fineness　of　her　mental　fiber　and　the　capacities　of　her　heart。　　Deep　within　him；　denied　any　outlet；　he　knew　there　lurked　a　curious；　subtle　sympathy　for　the　girl　in　her　scheme　of　revenge　against　himself。　　Her　persistent　striving　toward　the　object　of　her　ambition　was　something　he　could　understand；　since　the　like　thing　in　different　guise　had　been　back　of　his　own　business　success。　　He　would　not　let　the　idea　rise　to　the　surface　of　consciousness；　for　he　still　refused　to　believe　that　Mary　Turner　had　suffered　at　his　hand　unjustly。　He　would　think　of　her　as　nothing　else　than　a　vile　creature；　who　had　caught　his　son　in　the　toils　of　her　beauty　and　charm；　for　the　purpose　of　eventually　making　money　out　of　the　intrigue。

Gilder；　in　his　library　this　night；　was　pacing　impatiently　to　and　fro；　eagerly　listening　for　the　sound　of　his　son's　return　to　the　house。　　He　had　been　the　guest　of　honor　that　night　at　an　important　meeting　of　the　Civic　Committee；　and　he　had　spoken　with　his　usual　clarity　and　earnestness　in　spite　of　the　trouble　that　beset　him。　Now；　however；　the　regeneration　of　the　city　was　far　from　his　thought；　and　his　sole　concern　was　with　the　regeneration　of　a　life；　that　of　his　son；　which　bade　fair　to　be